Shirt securer

ABSTRACT

A system for securing a shirt is provided that includes a retainer having an anterior portion and a posterior portion, the anterior portion of the retainer having a fastener for securing the anterior portion of the retainer to a corresponding fastener on an anterior portion of the shirt, and the posterior portion of the retainer having a fastener for securing the posterior portion of the retainer to a corresponding fastener on a posterior portion of the shirt. The system may be part of the shirt or discrete from the shirt.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments herein relate generally to shirt systems that reduce theproblem of shirts coming out from within the pants of the wearer.Despite the availability of various fastening technologies, many shirts,particularly those worn by adults, lack the ability to maintain aconforming fit to the user so that the repetition of sitting andstanding does not result in wrinkling of the shirt or the undesiredremoval of the shirt. Indeed, the ubiquity of shirts intended to be wornoutside of one's pants reflects part of that long-standing problem.Embodiments of the present invention address that problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention will bemade below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein likenumerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a schematic elevational view of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a schematic elevational view of an alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic elevational view of another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic elevational view of yet another embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic elevational view of another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic elevational view of yet another embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, one embodiment 10of the present system comprises a shirt 12 comprising an anteriorportion 14 and a posterior portion 16, where the system furthercomprises a retainer 18 also comprising an anterior portion 22 and aposterior portion 24. In one example of embodiment 10, shirt 12comprises a plurality of fasteners 30, some of which may be employed ata lower position of the anterior portion 14, some of which may beemployed at a lower position of the posterior portion 16, and/or some ofwhich may be employed along the side of the shirt. The retainer 18functions to secure the shirt system to the user by conforming the shirtto the lower portion of the torso; i.e., between the user's legs, in amanner that is comfortable but effective.

The retainer 18 may comprise one of numerous possible shapes andconfigurations, but preferably has a plurality of fasteners 32configured to mate with the fasteners 30 of shirt 12. In the exampleshown, one type of fastener 30, 32, may comprise a button and buttonhole, respectively. Other means are contemplated, including snaps, hookand loop (e.g., Velcro®), etc. Referring to FIG. 1B, an alternativeretainer 18 is shown having a different configuration, merely as yet oneof another of numerous possible configurations. In the retainer 18 ofFIG. 1A, there may be sufficient portions of the retainer to support asmany fasteners as are desired to mate with as many of the shirtfasteners provided. As such, for example, the posterior portion 24 ofretainer 18 may be secured to the side fasteners 30 of shirt 12 orfasteners 30 of the posterior portion 16, depending upon the size of theperson and/or the comfort or level of securement desired. Moreover, thenumber of fasteners provided on the shirt and retainer, and the positionof such fasteners, is a matter of design choice.

Referring to FIG. 2A and 2B, an alternative embodiment 110 is showncomprising a shirt 112 comprising an anterior portion 114 and aposterior portion 116, where the shirt system further comprises aretainer 124 integral with the shirt. In one example, the retainer 124is integral with the lower portion of the posterior shirt portion 116,although it may be alternatively integral with the anterior shirtportion 114. As with the above embodiments, a set of fasteners 130, 132are provided, which may be one of numerous types, are provided to permitretention of the shirt below the torso. The fasteners may be buttons andbutton holes, as shown, or any other type. As shown in FIG. 2B, theretainer portion 124 is fastened in place to show how it would look whenworn and secured.

While the example of FIGS. 1A and 1B show a shirt 12 comprising a moretraditional dress shirt (regardless of sleeve length), the invention isapplicable to all types of shirts, including sleeveless shirts, such asthose shown in FIGS. 2A through 4. However, it is important to note thatthe features described with the embodiments of FIGS. 1A and 1B may beequally applicable to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A through 4, andvice versa. For example, FIGS. 2A and 2B show one embodiment of thepresent invention in which the retaining portion of the system isintegral with the shirt itself Nonetheless, a discrete retainer may beused with the sleeveless embodiments if so desired. Indeed, a discreteand integral retainer may be combined where so desired.

It should be noted that the retainer portion, whether integral or not,may be configured in one or numerous ways. Referring to FIG. 3,embodiment 210 comprises a retainer system that is configured to fastento fasteners on the anterior portion 214 of shirt 212 where thefasteners 230 are located more toward the side than the fasteners 130are in the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B. It is contemplated thatadjustability may be employed in the embodiments of the presentinvention. Referring to FIG. 4, adjustability may be provided on theretainer system, such as a buckle 334 placed on each of two retainerstraps 324.

Other arrangements of shirt systems are contemplated as well. Referringto FIGS. 5 and 6, various types of shirts may be configured so thatfasteners are positioned at the lower inner area of both the anteriorand posterior portions of the shirt to permit direct fastening of theanterior portion to the posterior portion directly through the user'sleg without a retainer portion per se. For example, in the example ofFIG. 5, a dress shirt 410 comprises one half of a set of fasteners 430at the lower portion of the anterior portion 414 of shirt 412 forconnection to the other half of a set of fasteners 432 on the lowerportion of the posterior portion 416. Similarly, with reference to FIG.6, a varied configuration comprises a shirt system 510 where one half ofa set of fasteners 530 at the lower portion of the anterior portion 514of shirt 512 for connection to the other half of a set of fasteners 532on the lower portion of the posterior portion 516.

Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous designconfigurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of theinventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations andarrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of theinvention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather thannarrowed by the embodiments described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for securing a shirt to a wearer of theshirt to avoid the shirt from slipping out of pants when the shirt istucked in, the system comprising a retainer having an anterior portionand a posterior portion, the anterior portion of the retainer comprisinga fastener for securing the anterior portion of the retainer to acorresponding fastener on an anterior portion of the shirt, and theposterior portion of the retainer comprising a fastener for securing theposterior portion of the retainer to a corresponding fastener on aposterior portion of the shirt.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein theanterior portion of the retainer comprises a plurality of fasteners. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the posterior portion of the retainercomprises a plurality of fasteners.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe anterior portion of the retainer comprises two members, each memberhaving a fastener for securing a portion of the retainer to acorresponding fastener on the shirt.
 5. The system of claim 1, whereinthe posterior portion of the retainer comprises two members, each memberhaving a fastener for securing a portion of the retainer to acorresponding fastener on the shirt.
 6. The system of claim 1, whereinthe fastener comprises a button.
 7. The system of claim 1, where thefastener comprises a buckle.
 8. An article of clothing for use about thetorso of a wearer, the article of clothing configured for securing thearticle of clothing about the legs of the wearer, the article ofclothing comprising an anterior tab and a posterior tab, each of theanterior and posterior tabs comprising a fastener for securing theanterior tab to the posterior tab.
 9. The article of clothing of claim8, wherein the anterior tab comprises two members, each membercomprising a fastener.